Jump wire structure

ABSTRACT

Disclosed is an improved jump wire structure for a printed circuit board. It includes at least one jump wire having its opposite ends bent in same direction, and at least one slot made in the upper surface of the printed circuit board. The slot has through holes made at its opposite ends to permit insertion of the opposite bent ends of the jump wire. The jump wire can be put and fixed in the slot by inserting its opposite bent ends into the opposite through holes to be bent and soldered to the printed circuit pattern formed on the lower or rear surface of the printed circuit board. This arrangement permits increase of the mounting density of parts and devices on the printed circuit board without fear for short-circuiting.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0001] 1. Field of the Invention

[0002] The present invention relates to a jump wire structure having jump wires arranged on a printed circuit board.

[0003] 2. Related Art

[0004] As is well known, a printed circuit board has electronics parts and/or devices such as CPU, ROM, condensers, resistors, diodes or transistors mounted on its upper or front side. The printed circuit board has a circuit pattern printed on its lower or rear side.

[0005] Such electronics parts and/or devices can be mounted on the printed circuit board by inserting their opposite terminal leads into through holes made in the printed circuit board, and by bending on the lower or rear side of the board to solder their terminal ends to the printed circuit pattern. Usually many parts and devices are arranged in the limited space of board. When the number of parts and devices increases beyond a permissible mounting density, it is necessary that printed circuit boards large enough to meet the permissible mounting density be used.

[0006] JP 6-334290(A) has proposed a three-dimensional wiring structure in which two jump wires cross each other, or a jump wire and a circuit component cross each other on a printed circuit board. The crossing arrangement significantly improves the mounting density with which circuit components are mounted on the printed circuit board. Jump wires make it possible to shorten the length of component-to-component connection. Advantageously the shortening contributes to suppression of radiation of electromagnetic wave and appearance of noise signals in printed circuits.

[0007] Specifically, two jump wires cross each other on the front or upper side of a printed circuit board. Each jump wire has its opposite ends bent and passing through holes, which are made in the printed circuit board. These holes extend from the front to rear side of the board to strike the terminal ends of selected conductors in an electric circuit, which is printed on the rear surface of the board. The opposite ends of each jump wire passing through the board and appearing on the rear side are soldered to the terminal ends of selected conductors in the printed circuit.

[0008] Assuming that such jump wires 6 are parallel-arranged as shown in FIG. 5(a), and that an external force is applied to any one or ones of the parallel jump wires 6 to bend or incline toward either adjacent one, they often come to touch, thereby causing short circuits to appear in the printed circuit 1.

[0009] Assuming that two parallel jump wires 6 a and 6 b lie across a circuit component as shown in FIG. 5(b), and that an external force is applied to these jump wires, they are often inclined toward each other to be in contact. Then, short circuits will be caused in the printed circuit 1.

[0010] In view of the above, one object of the present invention is to provide a jump wire structure for a printed circuit board, guaranteed to be free of causing short-circuits no matter whether jump wires are parallel-arranged or laid across each other on the printed circuit board.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0011] A jump wire structure for a printed circuit board according to one aspect of the present invention comprises: at least one jump wire having its opposite ends bent in same direction; and at least one slot made in the upper or front surface of the printed circuit board, the slot having through holes made at its opposite ends to permit insertion of the opposite bent ends of the jump wire, whereby the jump wire may be put and fixed in the slot by inserting its opposite bent ends into the opposite through holes to be bent and soldered to the printed circuit pattern formed on the lower or rear surface of the printed circuit board.

[0012] A jump wire structure for a printed circuit board according to another aspect of the present invention comprises: a plurality of jump wires each having its opposite ends bent in same direction; and a plurality of slots made parallel at predetermined intervals in the upper or front surface of the printed circuit board, each slot having through holes made at its opposite ends to permit insertion of the opposite bent ends of a selected jump wire, whereby selected jump wires may be put and fixed in the slots by inserting their opposite bent ends into the opposite through holes of the slots to be bent and soldered to the printed circuit pattern formed on the lower or rear side of the board while the remaining jump wires being put on the slot-to-slot spaces of the upper or front surface of the board.

[0013] A jump wire structure for a printed circuit board according to still another aspect of the present invention comprises: one or more jump wires each having its opposite ends bent in same direction; and one or more slots made in the upper or front surface of the printed circuit board, each slot having through holes made at its opposite ends to permit insertion of the opposite bent ends of a selected jump wire, thus allowing the remaining jump wires, or electronics parts or devices to lie across the ones put in the slots.

[0014] Other objects and advantages of the present invention will be understood from jump wire structures according to some preferred embodiments of the present invention, which are shown in accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

[0015]FIG. 1(a) is a plane view of slots made on the upper or front surface of a printed circuit board whereas FIG. 1(b) is a sectional view of the printed circuit board taken along a longitudinal centerline of a selected slot in FIG. 1(a);

[0016]FIG. 2(a) is a plane view of slots each having a jump wire put therein whereas FIG. 2(b) is a sectional view of the printed circuit board taken along a line longitudinally extending along the jump wire in a selected slot in FIG. 2(a);

[0017]FIG. 3(a) is a plane view of two parallel slots each having a jump wire put therein and a single jump wire sandwiched therebetween whereas FIG. 3(b) is a sectional view of the printed circuit board taken along a line laterally crossing these slots in FIG. 3(a);

[0018]FIG. 4(a) is a perspective view of crossing jump wires, one being put in a slot, and the other lying across the slotted one, whereas FIG. 4(b) is a sectional view taken along a line parallel to the overlying jump wire; and

[0019] FIGS. 5(a) and 5(b) show conventional jump wires arranged on a printed circuit board.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

[0020] Referring to FIG. 1, a printed circuit board 1 has slots 2 made on its front or upper surface 5. These slots 2 are made at predetermined positions by using for example, an end mill whose cutting blade is as wide as the slot. The printed circuit board 1 has an electric circuit pattern printed on its rear or lower surface 4. Each slot 2 has through holes 3 made at its opposite ends.

[0021] Referring to FIG. 2, each slot 2 has one jump wire 6 fitted therein. Specifically each jump wire 6 has its opposite ends 7 bent in same direction. The jump wire 6 is fixed in the slot 2 by inserting its opposite bent ends 7 into the opposite through holes 3. The lengths of the bent ends appearing from the rear or lower surface of the printed circuit board 1 are bent and soldered to the printed circuit pattern.

[0022] Any of the slotted jump wires 6 cannot be deformed or bent even though an exterior force is applied, and therefore, adjacent jump wires 6 cannot be put in contact with each other. Thus, there is no fear for causing short-circuits.

[0023] Usually the jump wire 6 is completely buried in the slot 2 as shown in FIG. 2(b). However, even if slots 2 are not deep enough, allowing the jump wires 6 to partly appear from the shallow slots 2, the jump wires 6 are still prevented from being deformed to touch either adjacent jump wire 6.

[0024] Referring to FIG. 3, a center jump wire 6 b is laid on the front or upper surface 5 of the printed circuit board, and two jump wires 6 a and 6 c are put in the slots 2 a and 2 c, which are made on the opposite sides of the center jump wire 6 b. The center jump wire 6 b cannot touch either jump wire 6 a or 6 c, provided that these jump wires are separated a sufficient distance, or that the opposite jump wires 6 a and 6 c are hidden completely in the slots 2 a and 2 c.

[0025] Referring to FIG. 4, two jump wires 6 a and 6 b lie across each other. One of these jump wires is put in a slot 2 whereas the other jump wire is laid on the upper or front surface 5 of the printed circuit board 1. Thus, they are prevented from touching, guaranteed to be free of short-circuiting. Usually the jump wire 6 a cannot be raised to partly appear from the slot 2. However, with a view to make them safe against unusual rise of the slotted jump wire 6 a the overlying jump wire 6 b is covered with an insulating material 8.

[0026] An electronics part or device other than the jump wire 6 b may be arranged to lie across the slotted jump wire 6 a.

[0027] As may be understood from the above, a jump wire structure according to the present invention provides the following advantages:

[0028] a plurality of slotted jump wires cannot be moved toward each other to be short-circuited, and therefore, the mounting density of jump wires can be increased by decreasing the slot-to-slot space in the printed circuit board. The close arrangement of jump wires thus attained contributes to a significant reduction of board size. Also, slotted jump wires contribute to the significant reduction of component-to-component connections in the printed circuit, thereby effectively suppressing radiation of electromagnetic wave and appearance of noise signals.

[0029] Jump wires of same shape can be used in putting in slots or crossing over slots, not necessitating use of overlying jump wires whose shape is different from the slotted one. The compatible use of slotted and overlying jump wires facilitates use of jump wires in wiring, accordingly improving the wiring efficiency. Electronics parts or devices can be mounted to lie across slotted jump wires, also. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A jump wire structure for a printed circuit board comprising: at least one jump wire having its opposite ends bent in same direction; and at least one slot made in the upper or front surface of the printed circuit board, the slot having through holes made at its opposite ends to permit insertion of the opposite bent ends of the jump wire, whereby the jump wire may be put and fixed in the slot by inserting its opposite bent ends into the opposite through holes to be bent and soldered to the printed circuit pattern formed on the lower or rear surface of the printed circuit board.
 2. A jump wire structure for a printed circuit board comprising: a plurality of jump wires each having its opposite ends bent in same direction; and a plurality of slots made parallel at predetermined intervals in the upper or front surface of the printed circuit board, each slot having through holes made at its opposite ends to permit insertion of the opposite bent ends of a selected jump wire, whereby selected jump wires may be put and fixed in the slots by inserting their opposite bent ends into the opposite through holes of the slots to be bent and soldered to the printed circuit pattern formed on the lower or rear surface of the board while the remaining jump wires being put on the slot-to-slot spaces of the upper or front surface of the board.
 3. A jump wire structure for a printed circuit board comprising: one or more jump wires each having its opposite ends bent in same direction; and one or more slots made in the upper or front surface of the printed circuit board, each slot having through holes made at its opposite ends to permit insertion of the opposite bent ends of a selected jump wire, thus allowing the remaining jump wires, or electronics parts or devices to lie across the ones put in the slots. 